GWLRA redefines Toronto’s back-to-office experience with Berczy Square 

One of the only atrium-style lobbies in the downtown core features a monumental 90-foot LED screen and greenery-filled interiors 

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March 23, 2026 (Toronto, ON) — GWL Realty Advisors (GWLRA) has unveiled extensive renovations to the lobby at Berczy Square that put a warm and welcoming new spin on a unique downtown office for Toronto’s back-to-office era. 

Anchored by a monumental 90-foot LED screen displaying atmospheric digital art, the reinvigorated design encourages office workers and the wider community to slow down, linger and look up at the 13-storey building’s landmark atrium architecture.  

The new lobby is a part of GWLRA’s two-year renovation and rebranding to transform the property at 33 Yonge into a social hub and destination. Steps from Union Station, the Financial District, St. Lawrence Market and the PATH, Berczy Square also includes a new private fitness facility, showers and lockers for commuters who bike and walk, five outdoor patios, two coffee shops, and grab-and-go retail. 

“In today’s market, landlords have to earn the commute. Tenant needs and expectations are evolving, and the best office buildings are adapting,” says Devan Sloan, Vice President, Asset Management and Leasing at GWLRA, adding that Berczy Square is 96% leased. “That means real innovation in workplace design and amenities. Berczy Square sets a new standard for creating welcoming spaces that help connect Toronto’s downtown and the people who live and work in them.” 

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Designed for Lingering and Looking Up 

Led by Alison McNeil of architecture firm DIALOG, who also redesigned the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto lobby and bar, the new Berczy Square strikes a balance between hospitality and productivity while creating a distinctive connection between Yonge Street’s commercial heart and the iconic Berczy Park in Old Town. 

Evoking a Zen, otherworldly natural landscape, the refreshed space includes tree-like columns at the Yonge Street entrance, a reflecting pool, a vapor-based fire pit, hanging moss pendants, plenty of greenery and new seating, as well as a trellis that wraps the elevator bay, anchors the screen and preserves the original Travertine wall.  

All the design interventions to the original building are “soft touch” to preserve architectural details. And all materials used in the renovation are 100% Canadian.  

"The lobby at Berczy Square represents a shift in how the office building has evolved," says Alison McNeil, partner, DIALOG. "No longer simply a place to pass through, we’ve reimagined the lobby as a destination for gathering and connection — a space that reflects both the building’s location and identity." 

"We call this design concept Pause because it invites people to slow down, look up, and take a moment to breathe. We amplified the openness of the original atrium by layering it with new materials and uses tailored to the needs of today’s employees," adds McNeil. "Purposeful spaces to work, wait, or relax draw inspiration from Ontario’s natural landscape and materiality, reinforcing a sense of place." 

GWLRA and DIALOG envisioned the lobby as a contemporary town square that brings together a diverse cross-section of Torontonians from within and outside the building in ways that inspire, connect and ground them. 

The Yonge Street entrance features seating around trees and the reflecting pond, creating ideal spaces for workers to sit, read, scroll and take calls. The centre section below the screen and trellis features an elevated “deck” area with custom-designed banquettes and communal tables ideal for gatherings and events. The section adjacent to Berczy Park is styled like a backyard, with lounge chairs and picnic tables. 

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Taking Digital Art to New Heights 

Berczy Square features one of the only atrium-style lobbies in Toronto’s downtown core. Highlighting this defining feature was central to the redesign. 

The uniquely shaped 90-foot-tall, six-foot-wide screen runs the full spine of the building and features original digital art by acclaimed Montreal-based creative multimedia studio Gentilhomme, which has created large-format immersive art for the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Cirque du Soleil. 

For Berczy Square, the company’s team designed and produced a series of original artworks called “capsules.” This generative content responds to a constant flow of data, such as the time, the weather, the seasons and sports games happening in Toronto on a given day, causing the images to morph in real time and triggering “easter eggs” to appear. 

The digital art complements DIALOG’s approach to the interior design. The four capsules include Living Architecture, the hero piece: a tree that grows by the hour and transforms with the seasons. Breach of Light offers an ambient, hypnotic flow of continuous movement. Mirror of Light presents a calm, passive, dreamlike sky. Surreal Hourglass is the most literal timekeeper, with a parkour for descending balls that mark the passing hours. 

“The artwork is the heartbeat of Berczy Square; it responds to the city and the rhythm of the people within it,” says Thibaut Duverneix, Founder and Executive Creative Director of Gentilhomme. “We have treated the screen as an architectural feature, a canvas for atmospheric art rather than advertising, to create a landmark experience that invites the community to slow down and look up.” 

Originally built in 1982 and designed by WZMH Architects, 33 Yonge spans a two-acre stretch between Wellington and Front Streets. As previously announced, the updated Berczy Square also includes three restaurants from Canadian stalwart O&B, Café Landwer’s ninth location and Bisteccheria Sammarco, a steakhouse from Michelin-starred chef Rob Rossi and David Minicucci. 

GWLRA undertook the renovations and rebranding on behalf of the property owners, the Great-West Life Canadian Real Estate Investment Fund No.1 (CREIF) and the London Life Real Estate Fund. 

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kg&a
Kevin Ritchie 
kevin.ritchie@kga-inc.com 
647-204-9384 
 
Katarina Prystay 
katarina.prystay@kga-inc.com 
647-973-9222 
 
About GWLRA 
GWL Realty Advisors Inc. is a leading real estate investment advisor providing comprehensive asset management, property management, development and specialized real estate advisory services to pension funds and institutional clients. GWL Realty Advisors Inc. manages a diverse portfolio of office, industrial, retail and multi-residential assets as well as an active pipeline of new development projects. gwlrealtyadvisors.com 

About DIALOG 
DIALOG is a multidisciplinary, B Corp design practice committed to changing the world through great design. Its team includes architects, urban planners, interior designers, structural, mechanical and electrical engineers, landscape architects, and sustainability and building performance consultants. DIALOG has over 600 employees across North America. Focusing on large, complex design projects, DIALOG's portfolio spans civic & culture, education, healthcare & wellness, hospitality, government, mixed-use, office & workplace, sports & recreation, bridges & urban infrastructure, renewal, science & technology, transit & aviation, residential, retail, and urban planning & policy. The practice has studios in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and San Francisco. DIALOG is a proud Partner of the World Economic Forum. Visit dialogdesign.ca 

About Gentilhomme 
Gentilhomme is a Montreal-born, globally minded creative, and an award-winning multimedia studio specializing in immersive environments, interactive installations, and multimedia storytelling. The studio designs, strategizes, and delivers end-to-end experiences that connect people and places through art, emotion, and technology. From technical strategy to production and integration, Gentilhomme partners with clients as creative consultants, shaping every project with purpose and intention. Its work covers international airports, large-scale installations, events, and brand activations, always with the goal of sparking imagination and emotions. Founded in 2014 and led by Thibaut Duverneix, Gentilhomme has delivered world-class multimedia environments for clients like Orlando International Airport, Nashville International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, artists such as Elton John and Tierra Whack, as well as Disney and Meow Wolf.